ZIHUA I.D., an interior design, construction management and consulting services firm, was founded by Maura Taylor, a NYC native with a strong background in construction management, interior design and real estate development. From a mixed background of American and Ecuadorian parents, Maura grew up listening to Spanish from a very young age. She is currently a fluent Spanish speaker, writer and reader.
Upon arriving to Zihua on vacation with her family in August 2005, Maura instantly fell in love with the organic and tropical beauty of Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. As an avid surfer, Maura felt right at home, playing in the slow-rolling waves of the Pacific and basking under the warm Mexican sun. After a prolonged vacation of surf and sun, Maura returned to NYC, but felt a strong pull to return to Zihuatanejo. In a few short weeks, Maura had closed her business connections in Manhattan, sold all of her furniture and was on a plane back to Zihua. Soon after, Maura found herself living in La Madera Beach with an adopted kitten and a new surfboard. Landing her first job in Zihuatanejo, Maura worked as a hostess in Coconuts restaurant, where she met and became friends with the owners, Patsy and Joe.
Through Patsy and Joe, Maura was introduced to an interior designer from NYC and immediately began working as a design assistant/translator/construction manager for the remodeling project of a 10-bedroom luxury home, built into a steep cliffside overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The project involved traveling throughout Mexico in search of decorative items, custom furniture, ironwork and lighting. Everywhere from Guadalajara down to Oaxaca, Maura worked with Mexican artisans to design and build items that would bring the warmth and welcoming touch of Mexico to this large eclectic home. The long months of building relationships with exceptional craftsman would form the building blocks of ZIHUA I.D.
Once the word had gotten out that there was a bilingual American with experience in home building and the ability to understand and translate the needs of foreign clients to their local architects, Maura was contacted by Randy and Dana Baldwin, the owners of a new development in La Madera Beach called Villas Xiguacan. As a new project for them in a foreign country, the undertaking of such a project seemed daunting. They spoke with Maura about working with their buyers, who would purchase an unfinished condo and have the responsibility of finding an architect and finishing the condo themselves. Maura began working with her first set of clients from Xiguacan in January 2006 and spent several weeks investigating local architects, viewing their past projects and speaking with previous clients in order to recommend an architect to her clients for their finishing project. Her clients decided to work with an architect from Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo and contracted Maura as their project manager and interior designer.
Maura continues to work with clients on a variety of projects including condo finishing, home remodeling and retrofit and new home construction, as well as assisting her clients with the adjustment to their new life in Mexico.
Working alongside local architects or with own her talented team, she has gained valuable experience in managing a construction project in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. As an American, she understands the needs and higher standards of her clients and has developed a program of project management that allows her clients to effectively manage their construction, even from thousands of miles away.
Maura created ZIHUA I.D. with the belief that dreams of living in paradise can be attained, especially in Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo.